Show opening takes the cake – after some early hiccups

IT wasn’t quite a cakewalk, with a few early hiccups and inclement weather threatening, but the opening day of the Royal Hobart Show was a sweet success.

Corey Blanch, 19, of Risdon Vale, has a blast on the Hurricane ride. Pictures: SAM ROSEWARNE

IT wasn’t quite a cakewalk, with a few early hiccups and inclement weather threatening to put a dampener on proceedings, but the opening day of the Royal Hobart Show was a sweet success.

About 7000 people passed through the Royal Hobart Show gates yesterday and they were treated to a fun day of action interspersed with the occasional downpour.

Among the throng was 75-year-old Pat Butcher, of Magra, who worked over three or four weeks to perfect her fruitcake for the show’s cookery competition.

She was rewarded with first place in the Celebration Cakes category, with her visually stunning patriotic delicacy judged a class above.

Pat Butcher, 75, of Magra, with her prize-winning Aussie Christmas cake.

“It’s an Aussie Christmas cake, Santa’s in thongs and short trousers because we don’t have a winter Christmas,” she said.

Mrs Butcher, who was “very excited” to come away with the blue ribbon, said she loved taking part and any accolades were just icing on her well-made cake.

“I’ve been entering at least 12 years, [and] I’ve won a few firsts and seconds,” she said.

Joel Millhouse with the winner of Supreme Champion Diary Cow, Benlargo Windbrook Ding.

Students from Holy Rosary Catholic School on their way home with their goodies.

Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania chief executive Scott Gadd said crowd numbers were similar to last year, despite a less-than-ideal start to the day.

“We had a few hiccups this morning, but we got over them pretty early and we’ve had a really good day,” he said.

“The hiccups related to some traffic issues this morning, the traffic jams on the [Tasman] bridge meant a lot of our staff didn’t get to our shifts on time, so that created a bit of a domino effect back here, but ultimately we got over that when the traffic cleared.”

SHOW ESSENTIALS GATE TIMES: Today: 9am-5pm; Tomorrow: 9am-10pm; Saturday: 9am-4pm. ENTRY: Family (2 adults, 2 children): $50; Adult $18; Child under 18 $10; Under 5 free PARKING: Corner of Goodwood Rd and Brooker Highway (opposite showground next to Fire station). Cost $10. Elwick Racecourse access is off Goodwood Rd. Free parking at Derwent Entertainment Centre. Metro running special bus service and parking for bicycles. WEATHER: Today: 19C, partly cloudy. Tomorrow: 17C, showers. PLENTY OF CHOICES: Animal Nursery, all day; Artery Art on Show, all day; Celebrity Sawing, 11am; Freestyle Motocross, 20-minute shows, starting 11.30am; Racing pigs, starting 10.30am; Scoot the Stunt Juggler, 30-minute shows, starting 10am.

Mr Gadd said the issues were dealt with swiftly and hoped it would be plain sailing for the rest of the show.

“We were pretty much in full swing by lunch time, and [I’m] pretty confident that we’ll get a big day tomorrow and it will all run smoothly from the get-go,” he said.

With better weather expected for People’s Day today, Mr Gadd hopes to see a big crowd through the gates.

“A big day tomorrow could be up around 15 or 16,000 people, so hopefully we do that or better,” he said.

Yesterday’s activities were rounded out by the Bulls and Barrel Rodeo and Frocks ‘n’ Flannies Ball, which both kicked off in the evening.

Today’s entertainment program starts at 9.30am.

Emmi Bannister, 3, of Bridgewater, enjoying a ride in a teacup.